The CHN/ China thread

[Jimbuna]

War has no winners, Taiwan president says in visit to Hawaii

TAIPEI, Dec 1 (Reuters) - War has no winners and peace is priceless, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Saturday in Hawaii after visiting a memorial to the attack on Pearl Harbor on a trip to the United States that has angered Beijing.
Lai is making a sensitive two-day trip to Hawaii that is officially only a stopover on the way to three Pacific island nations that maintain formal ties with Taiwan, which China claims as its territory.

Speaking to members of the overseas Taiwan community and Hawaii politicians, including members of Congress Ed Case and Jill Tokuda, Lai referred to his visit to the USS Arizona Memorial earlier in the day and laid a wreath in memory of those who died in the 1941 Japanese attack.
"Our visit to the memorial today in particular reminds us of the importance of ensuring peace. Peace is priceless and war has no winner. We have to fight - fight together - to prevent war," Lai said in English, in a speech carried live on television in Taiwan.

As Lai was attending the event, China said it had complained to Washington for arranging for his transit through U.S. territory, while vowing "resolute countermeasures" against a potential arms sale to Taiwan that the U.S. announced hours before Lai started his trip.
China's foreign ministry lodged "stern representations" over the transit, China's Taiwan Affairs Office said in a statement.
"We are firmly opposed to official exchanges between the United States and Taiwan, and we are firmly opposed to the 'transit' of leaders of the Taiwan region to the United States under any name and for any reason," it said.

Security sources have told Reuters that China could launch a new round of war games around Taiwan in response to his visit, his first overseas trip since assuming office in May, having won election in January.
China has staged two rounds of major war games around Taiwan so far this year.
In his speech Lai switched to Taiwanese, also known as Hokkien, and said that by uniting together, all difficulties could be overcome. "Taiwan's democracy can become a model for the international community," he said.
Lai and his government reject Beijing's sovereignty claims and say they have a right to visit other countries.
After Hawaii, Lai will go to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, with another stopover in the U.S. territory of Guam. Hawaii and Guam are home to large U.S. military bases.
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/war-has-no-winners-taiwan-president-says-visit-hawaii-2024-12-01/

[Jimbuna]

China bans export of critical minerals to US as trade tensions escalate

China on Tuesday banned exports to the United States of the critical minerals gallium, germanium and antimony that have widespread military applications, escalating trade tensions the day after Washington's latest crackdown on China's chip sector.
The curbs strengthen enforcement of existing limits on critical minerals exports that Beijing began rolling out last year, but apply only to the U.S. market, in the latest escalation of trade tensions between the world's two largest economies ahead of President-elect Donald Trump taking office next month.

A Chinese Commerce Ministry directive on dual-use items with both military and civilian applications cited national security concerns. The order, which takes immediate effect, also requires stricter review of end-usage for graphite items shipped to the U.S.
"In principle, the export of gallium, germanium, antimony, and superhard materials to the United States shall not be permitted," the ministry said.
https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/china-bans-exports-gallium-germanium-antimony-us-2024-12-03/

[Jimbuna]

Russian gas supplies to China hit new daily record - Bloomberg

Russian pipeline gas exports to China have reached a new daily record, even surpassing Russia’s maximum contractual obligations, according to Bloomberg.

Gazprom announced that daily flows through the “Power of Siberia” pipeline exceeded Russia’s maximum contractual commitments, though exact figures were not disclosed.

The outlet noted that starting December 1, Gazprom increased supplies to the equivalent of 38 billion cubic meters per year, matching the design capacity of the Power of Siberia pipeline.

Given this, Bloomberg speculates that China may become Russia’s largest market for pipeline gas this year, as Gazprom grows increasingly dependent on China as a buyer after most of its European customers rejected Russian supplies following the invasion of Ukraine.

Breaking ties with Gazprom

At the end of last month, Austria ended a five-decade-long relationship with Gazprom, prompted by the seizure of Russian gas.

The Austrian company OMV won an arbitration case in Germany against Gazprom for 230 million euros over irregular supplies to its German subsidiary. OMV also announced it would take steps for immediate enforcement of this claim against Gazprom’s invoices.

Later, Bloomberg observed that OMV’s decision to halt payments to Gazprom could set a precedent for other countries, as they also aim to reduce their dependence on the Russian gas monopoly.

[Jimbuna]

China eyes negotiations as Trump threatens new tariffs

BEIJING, Dec 13 (Reuters) - As Donald Trump steps up his tariff threats against China, Beijing is moving to beat the next U.S. president to the punch with its own restrictions and get Washington to the negotiating table ahead of a full-blown trade war, analysts say.
Armed with the lessons of the last trade war during Trump's first term, China is seeking to amass bargaining chips to kick off talks with a new U.S. administration on contentious aspects of bilateral ties, including trade and investment, and science and technology. It is also concerned about the harmful effects of additional tariffs on its already fragile economy.

This week, China launched a probe into U.S. chip giant Nvidia (NVDA.O), opens new tab over what it claimed were suspected antitrust violations, which follows its ban on U.S.-bound exports of rare minerals.
"We have to look at this as the opening bid in what will likely ultimately turn into a negotiation with the U.S. rather than just an imposition of tariffs and everyone walks away," HSBC's Chief Asia Economist Fred Neumann said.
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-eyes-negotiations-trump-threatens-new-tariffs-2024-12-13/

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSpBIyHp6uk

[Jimbuna]

China Develops Own ‘Loyal Wingman’ to Rival US

In a move seen to rival the “loyal wingman” concept of the US, China has unveiled a new unmanned aerial system (UAS) designed to operate in tandem with its advanced fighter jets.

Showcased at the recent Zhuhai air show in southern China, the Feihong FH-97A is capable of leading swarms of smaller drones or acting as a companion wingman for Beijing’s stealth fighters, such as the J-20.

It can reportedly support “confrontational, high-intensity, and long-lasting” combat, thanks to its enhanced weapons bay for both air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions.

“The FH-97A drone meets the four [major] trends in the development of weapons: it is unmanned, miniaturized, intelligent, and stealthy,” Shanghai-based military analyst Ni Lexiong told Financial Times.

In addition to serving as a drone wingman for combat aircraft, the Feihong can be catapult-launched from aircraft carriers to support maritime operations.

Despite its promising capabilities, several defense analysts believe it will take at least five years before China deploys the FH-97A at scale.

“In the future, [the FH-97A] will be extremely important. The future of war will be competition between drone and anti-drone technology,” Ni stated.
https://thedefensepost.com/2024/12/16/china-loyal-wingman-us/

[Jimbuna]

Corruption may have disrupted Chinese military modernization goals, Pentagon report says

WASHINGTON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Corruption in China's military may have disrupted its progress towards its 2027 military modernization goals, the Pentagon said in its annual report on Beijing's military that was released on Wednesday.
Since last year, China's military has undergone a sweeping anti-corruption purge and last month the defense ministry said a top-ranking military official had been suspended and was under investigation for "serious violations of discipline."
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/corruption-may-have-disrupted-chinese-military-modernization-goals-pentagon-2024-12-18/

[Jimbuna]

United Front: China's 'magic weapon' caught in a spy controversy

The People's Republic of China has a "magic weapon", according to its founding leader Mao Zedong and its current president Xi Jinping.

It is called the United Front Work Department - and it is raising as much alarm in the West as Beijing's growing military arsenal.

Yang Tengbo, a prominent businessman who has been linked to Prince Andrew, is the latest overseas Chinese citizen to be scrutinised - and sanctioned - for his links to the UFWD.

The existence of the department is far from a secret. A decades-old and well-documented arm of the Chinese Communist Party, it has been mired in controversy before. Investigators from the US to Australia have cited the UFWD in multiple espionage cases, often accusing Beijing of using it for foreign interference.

Beijing has denied all espionage allegations, calling them ludicrous.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c878evdp758o

[ET2SN]

Meanwhile, and this is just something I'm pondering.. :hmmm:

- You need to dig into this subject, but there are reports that TSMC has put plans to "offshore" its Fabs on the back-burner. This gets complicated quickly, TSMC wants to keep its manufacture of top-end chips on home soil, which is logical except for those plans of an invasion from the mainland.
:k_confused:

- AUKUS has gone fairly silent. Anyone seen any updates about Australia updating its shipyards or naval bases? Like, any news at all? Want ads for shipyard jobs? Navy recruitment goals? Anything?

-Is it possible that the PLA is backing off on those "reunification" goals? Are those reports of military corruption a sign of the PLA getting knocked down a peg or are they thinning out the commanders to get some fresh blood for 2027/2028?

I admit I'm being vague and more than a little cagey. I'd like to read what the rest of you think. :yep:

[Skybird]

Meanwhile, and this is just something I'm pondering.. :hmmm:

- You need to dig into this subject, but there are reports that TSMC has put plans to "offshore" its Fabs on the back-burner. This gets complicated quickly, TSMC wants to keep its manufacture of top-end chips on home soil, which is logical except for those plans of an invasion from the mainland.
:k_confused:
Where these ever meant to produce the contemprary top tear of chips anyway? I dont think so.




- AUKUS has gone fairly silent. Anyone seen any updates about Australia updating its shipyards or naval bases? Like, any news at all? Want ads for shipyard jobs? Navy recruitment goals? Anything?
https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2937022&postcount=195
Not visible results before the ticking 2040s. If ever.





-Is it possible that the PLA is backing off on those "reunification" goals?
No. Not if they are not absolutely forced by circumstances to delay them. Delay. Not: giving up.

[Jimbuna]

Biden launches new US trade probe into legacy Chinese chips

WASHINGTON, Dec 23 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Monday announced a last-minute trade investigation into Chinese-made "legacy" semiconductors that could heap more U.S. tariffs on chips from China that power everyday goods from autos to washing machines to telecoms gear.
The "Section 301" probe, launched just four weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20, will be handed over to his administration in January for completion, Biden administration officials said.
https://www.reuters.com/technology/biden-launches-new-us-trade-probe-into-legacy-chinese-chips-2024-12-23/

[mapuc]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApeMPPYOfoc

Markus

[ET2SN]

Where these ever meant to produce the contemprary top tear of chips anyway? I dont think so.






That's a topic in itself, but there are reasons it could go either way. :hmmm:

First, TSMC wouldn't want to strangle its golden goose. Which would happen if the PLA took over control of the Fabs. So, off-shoring the top end chips makes sense.

Of course, off-shoring the top end chips lets the rest of the world see your cards, or at least the dies. TSMC would need to hire locals to run the new Fabs and, while a chip is a chip is a chip, there are some process controls (litho) they keep on the down-low.

Which is where things get ironic. :hmmm:
Most of the actual design work happens in North America and Europe. TSMC's litho/optics process is done on machines built and designed in Germany.

In the end, TSMC does the production, quality control, and shipping.

The original push to off-shore production was not due to the PLA but was due to COVID.

:hmmm:

[Jimbuna]

Perhap's he's taking a leaf out of Chinas book.

After Trump threat, Mexican president says Panama Canal belongs to Panamanians

MEXICO CITY, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed support for Panama's government on Monday after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatened to reassert U.S. control over the Panama Canal on Sunday.
"Indeed, the Panama Canal belongs to the Panamanians," Sheinbaum said, speaking during her regular morning press conference.
Sheinbaum's comments came one day after Trump accused Panama of charging excessive rates to use the Central American passage while speaking to a crowd of supporters in Arizona. After the event, he posted an image on Truth Social of an American flag flying over a narrow body of water, with the comment: "Welcome to the United States Canal!"
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/after-trump-threat-mexican-president-says-panama-canal-belongs-panamanians-2024-12-23/

[ET2SN]

What part of "the lease expired" does Trump not understand? :har:

[Jimbuna]

The ‘No. 1 threat to the United States’ is China

https://www.google.com/search?q=china+latest&sca_esv=d1299addba882a66&sxsrf=ADLYWIKrhSVcWjIH974i2RkDKmN2KGnRsw%3A1735055 685347&source=hp&ei=RdlqZ6XoEsqphbIPyriX-AY&iflsig=AL9hbdgAAAAAZ2rnVSG2WlOwUshR2_LHQMPQkU0yOFD 9&oq=&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IgAqAggBMgcQIxgnGOoCMgcQIxgnGOoC MgcQIxgnGOoCMgcQIxgnGOoCMgcQIxgnGOoCMgcQIxgnGOoCMg cQIxgnGOoCMgcQIxgnGOoCMgcQIxgnGOoCMgcQIxgnGOoCSLkM UABYAHABeACQAQCYAQCgAQCqAQC4AQHIAQCYAgGgAgeoAgqYAw fxBSfNJjUdFqdpkgcBMaAHAA&sclient=gws-wiz#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:92389d70,vid:ZJk0BCg7q2M,st:0

[Jimbuna]

Images show novel Chinese military aircraft designs, experts say

Dec 27 (Reuters) - Blurry images of two seemingly new Chinese military aircraft with stealthy characteristics appeared online on Friday, with defence experts saying they were clearly advanced designs, but there was not enough detail for definitive conclusions.
Both designs are tailless, meaning they do not have vertical stabilisers to help maintain control. Such aircraft are typically kept stable by computers that interpret the pilot's control inputs.

The larger of the two designs is roughly diamond-shaped, with three air intakes for its engines - two alongside the fuselage and one on top - an extremely unusual configuration. The smaller one has a more conventional layout, but no tail.
Both have the lack of 90-degree angles typical of stealth shaping, which is designed to reduce radar detection.
As China modernises its military, the designs "show the willingness of China's aviation industry to experiment and innovate", said Euan Graham, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

"Whatever the merits or demerits, it appears to be a highly original design," he said. "They deserve kudos for that, and should shake off any lingering complacency that the U.S. and its allies always set the pace."
China's defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The U.S. Department of Defense said it was "aware of the reports" but said it did not have additional comment beyond what was included in its annual report on the Chinese military this month.
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/images-show-new-novel-chinese-military-aircraft-designs-experts-say-2024-12-27/

[Jimbuna]

China's Xi will visit Russia in 2025, Russian ambassador says

China's President Xi Jinping will visit Russia in 2025, Russia's state-run RIA news agency quoted Moscow's ambassador to Beijing as saying early on Friday.
"As for concrete bilateral events, I can say that the appropriate plans are actively being drawn up," Ambassador Igor Morgulov told RIA.
"What can be said that is no secret, in terms of priority, is that the chairman of the People's Republic of China is expected in Russia next year."

At a regular press conference, China's foreign ministry did not confirm the visit, but reiterated that the two countries maintained close contacts at all levels.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China in February 2022, proclaiming a "no limits" partnership days before he sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine. He was in Beijing again last May, after his re-election by a landslide, welcoming a "new era" of relations focusing on opposition to U.S. policy.

Xi was received in the Kremlin as a "dear friend" in 2023 after he obtained an unprecedented third term in office.
Morgulov also told RIA that China, which has refrained from condemning Russia's 34-month-old war in Ukraine, understood the basis for the conflict "in as much as they are coming up against many of the same challenges -- the U.S. and its allies are boosting pressure on China in the Asia-Pacific region".
NATO, he said, is "devising plans to move its military infrastructure" into the region.
Russia and China had to respond to U.S. policy jointly, he said.
"In the international arena, it is up to our countries to respond further with a 'dual counter-action' to the 'dual deterrence' which the West is trying to pursue with regard to Russia and China," RIA quoted him as saying.
China, working with Brazil, has put forward a peace plan to end the Ukraine war, calling for a freezing of battle lines and taking into account the security interests of both sides.

Russia has expressed support for the proposals.
Ukraine, which has proposed its own plans to end the conflict - the latest of which includes a request for NATO membership - has dismissed the China-Brazil initiative as serving Moscow's interests.
Russian forces currently occupy about 20% of Ukraine's territory and have recently been advancing at their fastest pace since the early days of the war.
https://www.reuters.com/world/chinas-xi-jinping-will-visit-russia-2025-russian-ambassador-says-2024-12-27/

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQK14ooz_5I

[Jimbuna]

Beijing Slams US Over Potential Chinese Drone Ban

China said on Friday it would take “all necessary measures” in response to the United States announcing it was considering restrictions on commercial Chinese drones for national security reasons.

On Thursday, the United States Commerce Department said it was considering new rules to address risks posed by drones made with technology from foreign adversaries such as China and Russia.

The efforts could lead to regulations or bans on Chinese drones, which dominate the global market.`

Responding to a question about the potential restrictions on Friday, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning accused the US of “generalizing the concept of national security, interfering and restricting normal economic and trade exchanges, and undermining the security and stability of global production and supply chains.”

“We will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard our legitimate rights and interests,” she added.

The US Commerce Department is seeking public feedback on the potential new rules until March 4, meaning the decision will fall to the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump.

The department suggested the technology designed by China may give it “the ability to remotely access and manipulate” the drones, which could “present undue or unacceptable risks to US national security.”

In October last year, Chinese drone maker DJI, the world’s largest drone manufacturer, said it was suing the US Department of Defense after Washington designated it a “Chinese Military Company” in 2022.

“DJI is not owned or controlled by the Chinese military… is a private company and should not be misclassified as a military company,” the firm said at the time.

DJI has attracted Washington’s scrutiny in recent years, including for its alleged role in surveilling ethnic minorities in China.

In September, Washington moved to ban the sale of connected vehicles incorporating Chinese and Russian technology, citing national security risks.
https://thedefensepost.com/2025/01/03/us-chinese-drone-ban/

[Reece]

Beijing Slams US Over Potential Chinese Drone Ban

The department suggested the technology designed by China may give it “the ability to remotely access and manipulate” the drones, which could “present undue or unacceptable risks to US national security.

Quite agree on some sort of security checks or a ban!! :hmmm:

[Jimbuna]

Yeah me too :yep:

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_sKChHC0Zw

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c_QSTmlJ9Q

[Jimbuna]

Taiwan's deploys missile-armed boats as war fears with China ramp up

Taiwan has showcased its sea defences against a potential Chinese attack as tensions with Beijing continue to simmer.

The island's navy highlighted its Kuang Hua VI fast attack missile boats and Tuo Chiang-class corvettes in waters near Taiwan's largest port of Kaohsiung, which is a major hub for international trade seen as vital to resupplying Chinese forces were they ever to establish a beachhead on the island.

The Kuang Hua VI boats, with a crew of 19, carry Hsiung Feng II anti-ship missiles and demonstrated their capacity to take to the sea in an emergency to intercept enemy ships about to cross the 44-kilometre (24-nautical mile) limit of Taiwan's contiguous zone, within which governments are permitted to take defensive action.

China regularly sends ships and planes to challenge Taiwan's willingness and ability to counter intruders, prompting Taiwan to scramble jets, activate missile systems and dispatch warships.

Taiwan yesterday demanded that China end its ongoing military activity in nearby waters, which it said is undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and disrupting international shipping and trade.

Landing sites are few on Taiwan's west coast facing China, forcing Beijing to focus on the east coast. The Taiwanese strategy is to counter the much larger Chinese military with a relatively flexible defence that can prevent Chinese troops from crossing the strait.

Hsiao Shun-ming, captain of a Tuo Chiang-class corvette, said his ship's relatively small size still allows it to "deliver a formidable competitive power" against larger Chinese ships. The Tuo Chiang has a catamaran design and boasts high speeds and considerable stealth ability.

In recent years Taiwan has reinvigorated its domestic defense industry, although it still relies heavily on US technology such as upgraded fighter jets, missiles, tanks and detection equipment.

US law requires it to consider threats to the island as matters of "grave concern," and American and allied forces are expected to be a major factor in any conflict.

The latest exercise "demonstrates the effectiveness of asymmetric warfare, and Taiwan's commitment to defence self-reliance," said Chen Ming-feng, rear admiral and commander of the navy's 192 Fleet specialising in mine detection.

He added: "We are always ready to respond quickly and can handle any kind of maritime situation."

China's authoritarian one-party Communist government has refused almost all communication with Taiwan's pro-independence governments since 2016, and some in Washington and elsewhere say Beijing is growing closer to taking military action.

China regards Taiwan as part of its territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary, while most Taiwanese favour their de facto independence and democratic status - although no official declaration has ever been made.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/taiwan-s-deploys-missile-armed-boats-as-war-fears-with-china-ramp-up/ar-BB1raZqP?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=a71871a32f1a4625a78ba79adf7ee09f&ei=71

[Skybird]

Would the longevity of these boats, if deployed in a war turning hot, be measured in days or rather hours? I take it that both the Chinese air force and navy would claim superiority over/in the battle zone. Numerically, and possibly also technologically.

[Jimbuna]

Inevitably but the Taiwanese can't just ;ie down and take it surely.

[Dargo]

They will survive longer I think if they have anti-air systems or in a taskforce with anti-air boats.

[Jimbuna]

I'm not convinced they'd last as long as a month tbh

[Dargo]

In case of an attack, Taiwan is not on its own the US fleets and carriers are then in striking range, so China has to fight hard to get the upper hand. China can not surprise us either we can see the build up for a war there are many satellites placed over China and other signs of a build up can not easily be hidden any more.

[mapuc]

In case of an attack, Taiwan is not on its own the US fleets and carriers are then in striking range, so China has to fight hard to get the upper hand. China can not surprise us either we can see the build up for a war there are many satellites placed over China and other signs of a build up can not easily be hidden any more.

To be honest, I don't think USA would engage China directly, if China decide to take Taiwan, I think they will do the same as they have with Ukraine-Sending weapons, ammo and give air and sea surveillance

Markus

[Skybird]

Inevitably but the Taiwanese can't just ;ie down and take it surely.
Sure, but I quesiton the widsom in maintaining such paltforms. It sprofitable for those sellign them to thenm, but militarily you cnanot comepte with Goliath if you try to fight by GoliathÄS terms and codntiions.


Missiles. Drones. And then more of both.



It got reported since long that they have a conflict in their military between thse two military schools of thinling.



Just translate the price for buying and maintaining these few and little boats into missiles and drones. I find the result of that calculation extremely convincing.



Trump will try to force them to buy big platforms, however, since that is more profitable for the US. Militarily it is a waste of financial precious ressources for the Taiwanese military, I think.



Ukraine sets the example. They keep the Russian navy away and do to even have, for practical terms, a navy worth the name themselves.



Do not put your limited money onto options that are almost certainly doomed to live only very short and meaningless lives in a war.



Missiles and drones and ECM. Loads and loads of them. And then even more. After that, ECM and drones and missiles. Up and down and back and forth.

[Skybird]

To be honest, I don't think USA would engage China directly, if China decide to take Taiwan, I think they will do the same as they have with Ukraine-Sending weapons, ammo and give air and sea surveillance

Markus
China will blockade Taiwan, and so if the US wants support deliveries to reach Taiwian they sooner or later would need to confront the Chinese forces.


Thats why I emphasize to build reserves and more reserves of weapons and ammo on Taiwan. So that they can hold out for long time even if many of their warehouses get wiped out.

[mapuc]

China will blockade Taiwan, and so if the US wants support deliveries to reach Taiwian they sooner or later would need to confront the Chinese forces.


Thats why I emphasize to build reserves and more reserves of weapons and ammo on Taiwan. So that they can hold out for long time even if many of their warehouses get wiped out.

You could be right-Just a hunch I have, none of the side are interested in an open conflict over Taiwan.

China have been studying USA's acting in the war in Ukraine and they expect the same would happen if they attack Taiwan.

I hope I'm right in my prediction. An open conflict would mean the end of the world as we know it.

Markus

[Skybird]

China have been studying USA's acting in the war in Ukraine and they expect the same would happen if they attack Taiwan.

Then they must not worry, the behaviour over Ukraine hardly sets a discouraging example.

[Dargo]

With the opportunist Trump the US will react totally different, remember the April 2018 missile strikes against Syria the opportunist Putin did not like it at all that Trump is in office. Chinese are in this for generations that is in their DNA so they will act differently with Trump on the block. Also war will mean the Chinese economy will be hurt more than it is at the moment current Chinese growth in 2025 will be 4% if they attack Taiwan that will drop more resulting in a high fear of the CCP of rebellion of their in majority poor population. We in the west have not that kinda thinking but being a dictatorial regime and certainly a revolutionary origin regime always fear the people doing the same as they have done itself China is a big country has large and many ethnics to keep under "their" rule. The Chinese Communist Party is Han Chinese ruling +55 ethnic minority groups, if economy goes the shytter those +55 begin to biaach the economical effect will hurt them the most.

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnUkWBJcvjM

[Jimbuna]

China constructing landing ships for 'D-Day style' invasion of Taiwan

China is reportedly building a fleet of landing ships that could be used in an invasion of Taiwan.

The barges have been likened to "Mulberry harbours" that were built for the Normandy landings in 1944.

Naval News reported that at least three of the new craft have been observed at Guangzhou Shipyard in southern China.

They are said to be equipped with a 120-metre bridge that would allow tanks and other military vehicles to bypass sandy or rocky beaches and reach key coastal roads.

The landing platforms are also believed to have pillars that can be lowered into the water to stabilise the vessels in stormy seas.

Furthermore, their design includes open platforms that allow other ships to dock and unload.

The barges would greatly increase Beijing's options for launching an invasion of the island state.

Taiwan's military has up until now assumed that an invasion would have to take place at a number of strongly defended ports.

However, the new amphibious landing craft would enable China's army to launch an invasion from multiple points, thinning out Taiwan's defences.

"If these barges have these long roadway bridging systems on them that can go over the beaches to firmer land further back, that creates a new and interesting problem," Eric Gomez, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, told the Telegraph.

"The areas that the Taiwanese military would be expected to defend suddenly become much more numerous.

"It could put a lot of stress on their defensive ability."

He added that the landing craft would be vulnerable to anti-ship ossicles and could end up being "sitting ducks".

China has repeatedly asserted its claims to sovereignty over Taiwan, and has stepped up both military and political pressure on the island state.

President Xi Jinping said "reunification" was inevitable in his New Year's message broadcast on state TV.

"The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family," he said.

"No one can sever our family bonds, and no one can stop the historical trend of national reunification."
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/china-constructing-landing-ships-for-d-day-style-invasion-of-taiwan/ar-BB1rmal1?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=5643e2d34ce542c78aa667861d4d845f&ei=39

[Jimbuna]

China's population falls for a third consecutive year

China's population fell for a third consecutive year in 2024, with the number of deaths outpacing a slight increase in births, and experts cautioning that the trend will accelerate in the coming years.
The National Bureau of Statistics said the total number of people in China dropped by 1.39 million to 1.408 billion in 2024, compared to 1.409 billion in 2023.
Friday's data reinforces concerns that the world's second largest economy will struggle as the number of workers and consumers declines. Rising costs from elderly care and retirement benefits are also likely to create additional strains for already indebted local governments.
China's total number of births was 9.54 million versus 9.02 million in 2023, the statistics bureau said. The birth rate rose to 6.77 births per 1,000 people in 2024 versus 6.39 per 1,000 people in 2023.
The number of deaths was 10.93 million in 2024 from 11.1 million in 2023.
China's birth rates have been falling for decades as a result of the one-child policy China implemented from 1980 to 2015 as well as rapid urbanisation.
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-population-falls-third-consecutive-year-2025-01-17/

[Jimbuna]

China's crude oil imports from top supplier Russia reach new high in 2024

SINGAPORE, Jan 20 (Reuters) - China's crude oil imports from top supplier Russia were up 1% in 2024 to a record high versus 2023, while purchases from Saudi Arabia dropped 9%, data showed on Monday, as refiners chased discounted Russian supplies to cope with weakened margins.
Volumes from Russia - including pipeline and seaborne supplies - amounted to 108.5 million metric tons, according to China's General Administration of Customs, equivalent to 2.17 million barrels per day (bpd).
https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/chinas-crude-oil-imports-top-supplier-russia-reach-new-high-2024-2025-01-20/

[Jimbuna]

Exclusive: Images show China building huge fusion research facility, analysts say

SINGAPORE, Jan 28 (Reuters) - China appears to be building a large laser-ignited fusion research centre in the southwestern city of Mianyang, experts at two analytical organisations say, a development that could aid nuclear weapons design and work exploring power generation.
Satellite photos show four outlying "arms" that will house laser bays, and a central experiment bay that will hold a target chamber containing hydrogen isotopes the powerful lasers will fuse together, producing energy, said Decker Eveleth, a researcher at U.S.-based independent research organisation CNA Corp.
It is a similar layout to the $3.5 billion U.S. National Ignition Facility (NIF) in Northern California, which in 2022 generated more energy from a fusion reaction than the lasers pumped into the target - "scientific breakeven".
Eveleth, who is working with analysts at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS), estimates the experiment bay at the Chinese facility is about 50% bigger than the one at NIF, currently the world's largest.
The development has not been previously reported.
"Any country with an NIF-type facility can and probably will be increasing their confidence and improving existing weapons designs, and facilitating the design of future bomb designs without testing" the weapons themselves, said William Alberque, a nuclear policy analyst at the Henry L. Stimson Centre.
China's foreign ministry referred Reuters questions to the "competent authority". China's Science and Technology Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment.
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/images-show-china-building-huge-fusion-research-facility-analysts-say-2025-01-28/

[Jimbuna]

Rubio warns of risk of China shutting down Panama Canal in any conflict

WASHINGTON, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday he had "zero doubt" that China has a contingency plan to shut down the Panama Canal in the event of a conflict with the U.S. and that Washington intends to address what it sees as a national security threat.
Just days before visiting Central America on his first foreign trip as top U.S. diplomat, Rubio, in an interview with Sirius XM’s The Megyn Kelly Show, echoed some of President Donald Trump's concerns about Chinese influence over the strategic waterway.

Trump, in his Jan. 20 inauguration speech, again accused Panama of breaking the promises it made for the final transfer of the canal in 1999 and of ceding its operation to China - claims that the Panamanian government has vehemently denied.
He vowed at the time that the U.S. would take back the canal but did not say when or how.
Rubio, a longtime China hawk during his Senate career, pointed to a Hong Kong-based company that operates two ports at the canal's Atlantic and Pacific entrances as a risk to the U.S. because "they have to do whatever the (Chinese) government tells them."
"And if the government in China in a conflict tells them to shut down the Panama Canal, they will have to," Rubio said. "And in fact, I have zero doubt that they have contingency planning to do so. That is a direct threat."
The Panamanian government has vehemently denied ceding operation of the canal to China and insists it administers the canal fairly to all shipping.
Earlier on Thursday, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino ruled out discussing control over the canal with Rubio when he visits the country. "The canal belongs to Panama," he told reporters.
Though the canal itself is operated by Panama, the two ports on either side are run by publicly listed Hong Kong company CK Hutchinson (0001.HK), opens new tab, while other ports nearby are operated by private companies from the United States, Singapore and Taiwan.
Rubio did not repeat Trump's vow to retake the canal but insisted that the U.S. intends to address the issues the president has raised, saying the current situation "just can't continue."
"I would argue that the canal is already in the arms of the Chinese," he said, expressing hope that the issue can be resolved soon.
Critics have accused Trump of modern-day imperialism in his threats over the canal as well as Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, suggesting such rhetoric could encourage Russia in its war in Ukraine and give justification to China if it decides to invade self-ruled Taiwan.
Some analysts have questioned whether Trump is serious about pursuing what critics say would be a land grab, speculating he may be laying down an extreme negotiating position to squeeze out concessions later on.
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/rubio-warns-risk-china-shutting-down-panama-canal-any-conflict-2025-01-30/

[Jimbuna]

Taiwan president tells Pope Francis global bodies should stop excluding island

TAIPEI, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Global bodies should stop excluding Taiwan for political reasons, President Lai Ching-te told Pope Francis in a letter, adding that he agrees war has no winners.
The Vatican is one of only 12 countries to retain formal diplomatic ties with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, and Taipei has watched with concern efforts by Beijing and the Holy See to improve ties.
In October, the Vatican and China extended an accord on the appointment of Catholic bishops in China for four years, pointing to a new level of trust between the two parties.
Lai, writing to the pope in response to the pontiff's message on Jan. 1's World Day of Peace, pointed to Francis' comments that worldwide challenges like food crises and climate change should be jointly addressed and not merely viewed as isolated acts of charity.
"I hold this view in high regard. I therefore earnestly hope that international organisations will stop excluding Taiwan for political reasons," Lai said, according to the letter published by his office on Friday.
Taiwan is not allowed to participate in most global organisations due to pressure from China, which considers the island one of its provinces with no right to be treated as a state, a view the government in Taipei rejects.
Lai also referred to China's ongoing military threats.
"Your Holiness has stated that war is a defeat for everyone. I, too, firmly believe that peace is priceless and that war has no winners," he said.
"A high level of consensus has formed in the international community on upholding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."
China's constitution guarantees religious freedom, but in recent years the government has tightened restrictions on religions seen as a challenge to the authority of the ruling Communist Party.
Taiwan puts no restrictions on freedom of faith and has a thriving religious community that includes Christians, Buddhists and Muslims.
https://www.reuters.com/world/taiwan-president-tells-pope-francis-global-bodies-should-stop-excluding-island-2025-01-31/

[Jimbuna]

China denounces Trump tariff: 'Fentanyl is America's problem'

BEIJING, Feb 2 (Reuters) - China's government on Sunday denounced the Trump administration's imposition of a long-threatened 10% tariff on Chinese imports while leaving the door open for talks with the U.S. that could avoid a deepening conflict.
Beijing will challenge President Donald Trump's tariff at the World Trade Organization - a symbolic gesture - and take unspecified “countermeasures” in response to the levy, which takes effect on Tuesday, China's finance and commerce ministries said.
That response stopped short of the immediate escalation that had marked China's trade showdown with Trump in his first term as president and repeated the more measured language Beijing has used in recent weeks.
Trump on Saturday ordered 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports and 10% on goods from China, saying Beijing needed to stanch the flow of fentanyl, a deadly opioid, into the United States.
China's toned-down response marked a contrast with the direct retaliation and heated language from Canada, a long-time U.S. ally, and Mexico, the top destination for U.S. exports.
China's commerce ministry said in a statement that Trump's move "seriously violates" international trade rules, urging the U.S. to "engage in frank dialogue and strengthen cooperation".
Filing a lawsuit with the WTO could allow Beijing a win in messaging by standing up for the rules-based trading system long advocated by U.S. administrations of both parties. Beijing has taken the same step in a challenge to tariffs of up to 45% on Chinese-made electric vehicles by the European Union.
At the same time, a WTO appeal poses no immediate cost or threat to Washington.
The WTO's dispute settlement system has been effectively shut down since 2019 when Trump blocked appointments of judges to handle appeals. Since President Barrack Obama, the U.S. has charged that the WTO appeals body had overstepped its authority.
'AMERICA'S PROBLEM'
For weeks Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning has said Beijing believes there is no winner in a trade war.
Chinese officials have also been encouraged by signs Trump could be seeking a more nuanced relationship with China since a conversation he had with Chinese leader Xi Jinping last month.
Both Republicans and Democrats have come to view China as the biggest foreign policy and economic challenge to the United States.
China's massive trade surplus - almost $1 trillion last year - is a vulnerability for Beijing. China's exports in key industries, including autos, have been growing faster in volume than value, suggesting manufacturers are discounting to try to win overseas sales when demand at home has been sputtering.
For that reason, analysts have expected China to try to strike a deal early with Trump to soften the blow from trade action by the U.S.
China has also been preparing for the long-expected Trump move on tariffs for months by deepening ties with allies, pushing for some self-reliance in key areas of technology and setting aside funds to prop up a vulnerable economy.
China's economy, the world's second-largest, hit its official growth target of 5% last year, even as many complained of declining job prospects and worsening living standards.
China's sharpest pushback on Sunday was over fentanyl, an area where the Biden administration had also been urging Beijing to crack down on shipments of the China-made precursor chemicals needed to manufacture the drug.
"Fentanyl is America's problem," China's foreign ministry said. "The Chinese side has carried out extensive anti-narcotics cooperation with the United States and achieved remarkable results."
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-denounces-trump-tariff-fentanyl-is-americas-problem-2025-02-02/

[Jimbuna]

Taiwan and China need peace given 'multifold changes' internationally, president says

TAIPEI, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Taiwan and China need to talk to each other to achieve peace given the "multifold changes" in the international situation, Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te said on Monday, calling for dialogue instead of confrontation.
Lai, who China detests as a "separatist", has repeatedly called for talks with Beijing, which has stepped up its military and political pressure against the democratically-governed island it sees as sovereign Chinese territory.
But both China and Taiwan face pressure from the new administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has imposed tariffs on China and threatened similar measures against imported semiconductors, a sector Taiwan dominates.
Speaking in Taipei to members of the Taiwanese business community who have invested in China, Lai said Taiwan and China's common enemies were natural disasters and their common goal was the well-being of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
"Therefore, we should, especially at a time of multifold changes in the international situation, have a good dialogue and exchanges between the two sides of the strait in order to achieve the goal of peace," he said.
Taiwan very much welcomes talks with China on the basis of equality without preconditions and dialogue should replace confrontation, but Taiwan's future can only be decided by its people, Lai added.
China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China says Taiwan must accept that the two sides of the strait are part of "one China", something Lai and his government have refused to do.
Lai said there can be no illusions about peace, and Taiwan should aim for peace through strength by bolstering its defences, and must stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other democracies.
"Only with sovereignty is there the country. Only with Taiwan is there the Republic of China," he added, referring to the island's formal name.
The defeated Republic of China government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communist forces, who set up the People's Republic of China in Beijing.
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-china-need-peace-given-multifold-changes-internationally-president-says-2025-02-03/

[Jimbuna]

China launches limited tariffs after Trump imposes sweeping new levies

WASHINGTON/BEIJING, Feb 4 (Reuters) - China imposed targeted tariffs on U.S. imports on Tuesday and put several companies, including Google, on notice for possible sanctions, in a measured response to the sweeping duties on Chinese imports imposed by President Donald Trump.
But word that Trump planned to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday suggested to investors there was scope for China to receive a temporary reprieve as Trump granted to Mexico and Canada on Monday. Stocks and oil prices moved higher.
"Let's see what happens with the call today," Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro said at a Politico event. Earlier, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said a call between the heads of the world's two largest economies "will happen very soon." No other specifics about when the conversation would occur were immediately available.
Beijing's limited reply to Trump's imposition of a 10% tariff on all Chinese imports underscored the attempt by Chinese policymakers to engage Trump in talks to avert an outright trade war between the world's two largest economies.
Capital Economics, a U.K.-based research firm, estimated that China's additional tariffs would apply to about $20 billion of annual imports, compared with the $450 billion worth of Chinese goods subject to the Trump tariff that took effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Tuesday (0501 GMT).
"The measures are fairly modest, at least relative to U.S. moves, and have been calibrated to send a message to the U.S.," Julian Evans-Pritchard, the firm's head of China Economics, said in a note.
https://www.reuters.com/world/us-tariffs-chinese-imports-take-effect-after-trump-reprieves-canada-mexico-2025-02-04/

[mapuc]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hxsfergy1rM

Markus

[Jimbuna]

China lodges complaints with U.S. over Panama Canal remarks

BEIJING, Feb 5 (Reuters) - China's foreign ministry said on Wednesday it had lodged complaints with the United States over "irresponsible" remarks regarding the Panama Canal and "attacks" on China's cooperation with Panama over the canal.
"Currently, the cooperation between China and Panama under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative is proceeding normally," ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a press briefing when asked about Panama's decision to let its involvement in the infrastructure plan expire.
https://www.reuters.com/world/china-lodges-complaints-with-us-over-panama-canal-remarks-2025-02-05/

[mapuc]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyMvXMq24wo

Markus

[Jimbuna]

Hong Kong to complain to WTO on U.S. tariff decision

HONG KONG, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Hong Kong said on Friday it would file a complaint with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on a U.S. decision to impose 10% tariffs on goods from the Asian financial hub as U.S. President Donald Trump targets Chinese imports.
https://www.reuters.com/world/hong-kong-complain-wto-us-tariff-decision-2025-02-07/

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbumPXiNQBU

[Jimbuna]

Taiwan detains China-linked cargo ship after undersea cable disconnected

TAIPEI, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Taiwan's coast guard said it detained a China-linked cargo ship on Tuesday after a nearby undersea cable to the Penghu Islands in the sensitive Taiwan Strait was disconnected.
Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has repeatedly complained about "grey zone" Chinese activities around the island, designed to pressure it without direct confrontation, such as balloon overflights and sand dredging.
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-detains-china-linked-cargo-ship-after-undersea-cable-disconnected-2025-02-25/

[Dargo]

China says it is ready for 'any type of war' with USChina has warned the US it is ready to fight "any type" of war after hitting back against President Donald Trump's mounting trade tariffs. The world's top two economies have edged closer to a trade war after Trump slapped more tariffs on all Chinese goods. China quickly retaliated imposing 10-15% tariffs on US farm products.

"If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we're ready to fight till the end," China's embassy said on X, reposting a line from a government statement on Tuesday.

It is some of the strongest rhetoric so far from China since Trump became president and comes as leaders gathered in Beijing for the annual National People's Congress. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gmd3g2nzqo

[Jimbuna]

Hopefully matters won't escalate further but I have my doubts in todays political climate.

[Skybird]

They will NOT defend Taiwan.I am sceptical on that since years.
https://youtu.be/H2h0XcT067A?si=r7po22OztmbsShrI

[Reece]

Trump is just a pile of manure!! :nope: :k_confused:

[Skybird]

Well, if Tsc is forced to move a top production to the US, China attacks and the US manages to destroy the key installation of tcs in taiwan, then the knowhow is - suddenly in the hands of the US.

Who dares to think washington would see that as unfortunate...? Its a big gain.

[Jimbuna]

Well, if Tsc is forced to move a top production to the US, China attacks and the US manages to destroy the key installation of tcs in taiwan, then the knowhow is - suddenly in the hands of the US.

Who dares to think washington would see that as unfortunate...? Its a big gain.

Perish the thought :o

[Skybird]

??



The more unscrupolous a government is and the more it plays powerpolitics and lives by the law of the strongest, the more realistic my explanation becomes.


And why has China, as I red somewhere, threatened retaliation against the US directly if the US would dare to bombard the TSC production sites in Taiwan if China attacks Taiwan?



Trump eyes US monopoly on the kowhow that now is held by Taiwan and tat he wanst to transfers into US hands so that the world mus come to the US for this tehcnokogy, not Taiwan. Trump is not at all onerested into getting engaged over Taiwan. If China attacks, he will flatten the TSC production sites that build the real top tier chip technology, and then pull the navy forces further back.



I am not even certain he woukd come to the defense of Japan or South Korea or Australia. What's in for him in doing so so?



And personally, i have started to question the Navy's power to defeat the Chinese forces near the Chinese coasts already fifteen years ago or so. I recently red that there are only 4 major shipyards of military relevance left in the US left. Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, and Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility.



In addition to these public shipyards, there are numerous private shipyards across the United States that contribute to military shipbuilding. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, there are 154 private shipyards categorized as active builders, spread across 29 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These private yards are in parts involved in constructing various vessels, including those with military applications.


In contrast, China has a significantly larger number of shipyards with military relevance. The country boasts 13 major shipyards, with some sources indicating that just one of these facilities has more capacity than all U.S. shipyards combined.


Prominent among these are the Jiangnan Shipyard and Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai, which are central to China's naval modernization efforts, producing advanced warships such as aircraft carriers, destroyers, and amphibious assault ships.


This substantial difference in shipbuilding capacity contributes to China's rapid naval expansion, with projections suggesting the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) will operate 475 ships by 2035, surpassing the U.S. Navy's projected fleet size of 305 to 317 ships.



This is a race the US cannot win the way it played the game until here. They must reduce the size of their playing field.


NUMBERS MATTER. More than high tech superiority prophets want to see. And China is not a third world country with an army of goat shepards parading their 30 years old rusty Kalashnikovs (and even these an unnerved US in the end ran away from). The American lead in technology also shrinks.

[Dargo]

??
...

What's in for him in doing so so?

...

Does not matter who, Krasnov will betray them all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cjIggQwUHQ

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkv2DGN6_WM

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vTfCfjXwAA

[Skybird]

https://youtu.be/wkS3GXqTn6w?si=z1bDEo-kfWrbVGey

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE52ZTxFKxw

[Jimbuna]

China hits back at Canada with fresh agriculture tariffs

BEIJING, March 8 (Reuters) - China announced tariffs on over $2.6 billion worth of Canadian agricultural and food products on Saturday, retaliating against levies Ottawa introduced in October and opening a new front in a trade war largely driven by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff threats.
The levies, announced by the commerce ministry and scheduled to take effect on March 20, match the 100% and 25% import duties Canada slapped on China-made electric vehicles and steel and aluminium products just over four months ago.

By excluding canola, which is also known as rapeseed, and was one of Canada's top exports to the world's No.1 agricultural importer prior to China investigating it for anti-dumping last year, Beijing may be keeping the door open for trade talks.
But the tariffs also serve as a warning shot, analysts say, with the Trump administration having signalled it could ease 25% import levies the White House is threatening Canada and Mexico with if they apply the same extra 20% duty he has slapped on Chinese goods over fentanyl flows.

"Canada's measures seriously violate World Trade Organization rules, constitute a typical act of protectionism and are discriminatory measures that severely harm China's legitimate rights and interests," the commerce ministry said in a statement.
China will apply a 100% tariff to just over $1 billion of Canadian rapeseed oil, oil cakes and pea imports, and a 25% duty on $1.6 billion worth of Canadian aquatic products and pork.
"The timing may serve as a warning shot," said Dan Wang, China director at Eurasia Group in Singapore. "By striking now, China reminds Canada of the cost of aligning too closely with American trade policy."
https://www.reuters.com/markets/china-announces-retaliatory-tariffs-some-canada-farm-food-products-2025-03-08/

[Jimbuna]

China tightens trade rules as Canadian tariffs spark price volatility

BEIJING, March 11 (Reuters) - Zhengzhou Exchange on Tuesday raised the trading margin requirements for some rapeseed meal futures contracts to 9% from 7% after Beijing's 100% tariff on Canadian imports triggered a two-day rally that pushed prices to a five-month high.
The most active rapeseed meal futures contract surged 7.23% to close at 2,684 yuan per metric ton, building on a 6% gain in the previous session, to its highest since September 2024.

The new trading margin requirements will be effective from settlement on March 12.
China on Saturday shocked markets with a 100% tariff to just over $1 billion of Canadian rapeseed oil, oil cakes and pea imports, and a 25% duty on $1.6 billion worth of Canadian aquatic products and pork.
The tariff announcement has sparked heightened market volatility, prompting the exchange to implement stricter margin rules to manage risk.
Earlier on Monday, the exchange increased the minimum order size for rapeseed meal futures contracts to curb small investor participation and stabilise prices.

According to Chinese customs data, China imported 2.02 million tons of rapeseed meal from Canada in 2024, accounting for 73% of its total imports. Other major suppliers include the UAE, Russia and Ukraine.
"After tariffs, importers may face losses and contract defaults. Spot supply is sufficient now, but reduced imports could tighten future supply. For rapeseed meal, demand may need to be curbed while monitoring shifts in the global trade chain," a China-based trader said.
"In the short term, this is expected to have minimal impact on the domestic supply of edible vegetable oils. However, the long-term effects of the trade policy implementation will require further attention," the Agriculture Ministry said in a monthly report.
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-tightens-trade-rules-canadian-tariffs-spark-price-volatility-2025-03-11/

[Jimbuna]

China, Russia back Iran as Trump presses Tehran for nuclear talks

BEIJING, March 14 (Reuters) - China and Russia stood by Iran on Friday after the United States demanded nuclear talks with Tehran, with senior Chinese and Russian diplomats saying dialogue should only resume based on "mutual respect" and all sanctions ought to be lifted.
In a joint statement issued after talks with Iran in Beijing, China and Russia also said they welcomed Iran's reiteration that its nuclear programme was exclusively for peaceful purposes, and that Tehran's right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy should be "fully" respected.

In 2015, Iran agreed to curb its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions in a deal with the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. But in 2018, Donald Trump, a year into his first term as U.S. president, pulled out of the pact.
"(China, Russia and Iran) emphasised that the relevant parties should be committed to addressing the root cause of the current situation and abandoning sanction, pressure or threat of force," China's Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu told reporters after the meeting.

China, Russia and Iran also emphasised the necessity of terminating all "unlawful" unilateral sanctions, Ma said.
Ma's meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi came days after Tehran spurned U.S. "orders" to resume dialogue over the nuclear programme.
Last week, Trump said he had sent a letter to Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proposing nuclear talks, adding that "there are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal".
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded that he would not negotiate with the U.S. while being "threatened", and Iran would not bow to U.S. "orders" to talk.

Iran was further enraged after six of the United Nations Security Council's 15 members - the U.S., France, Greece, Panama, South Korea and Britain - held a closed-door meeting this week to discuss its nuclear programme. Tehran said the meeting was a "misuse" of the U.N. Security Council.
That meeting was also criticised by China, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi saying on Friday that the "hasty" intervention by the Council was not helpful in building trust.
Despite Tehran's defiant rhetoric, engaging with the U.S. to hammer out a nuclear deal may be the more pragmatic option, with crippling sanctions weighing on the Iranian economy and stoking public unrest, according to Iranian officials.
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-iran-russia-kick-off-talks-beijing-over-irans-nuclear-issues-2025-03-14/

[Jimbuna]

When all else fails, send in the clown :-j

Britain's energy minister visits China to discuss climate and energy cooperation
Britain's energy minister is visiting Beijing on Friday to discuss climate and energy issues, hoping that re-engaging with China - both the world's largest carbon emitter and supplier of renewable energy infrastructure - will bring economic benefits.
Ed Miliband will meet Chinese energy and environment ministers during his March 14-17 visit and launch a framework for climate talks that would see his counterparts from Beijing visit London later this year, the government said in a statement.

Miliband will seek to update a decade-old clean energy partnership with China, outlining areas where Britain wants to collaborate, including carbon capture and storage technology and hydrogen power generation.
Britain is hoping its target to shift almost entirely to clean energy sources by the end of the decade will benefit from closer ties with China, which is the largest global supplier of, and investor in, renewable energy infrastructure.
At the same time, Miliband wants his ambitious decarbonisation target to rub off on Chinese policy, with the government promising to share its expertise on phasing out the use of coal, which China still heavily relies upon.

"We can only keep future generations safe from climate change if all major emitters act," Miliband said.
"It is simply an act of negligence to today’s and future generations not to engage China on how it can play its part in taking action on climate."
The visit is the latest by a senior British minister - following in the footsteps of foreign and finance ministers in recent months - as Prime Minister Keir Starmer seeks to reset relations with Beijing after a fractious decline under the previous British government.
The Starmer government's approach to China is based around the mantra often repeated by ministers: "cooperating where we can, competing where we need to, and challenging where we must."
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/britains-energy-minister-visits-china-discuss-climate-energy-cooperation-2025-03-14/

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_GQ4QNkDsU

[Jimbuna]

China hopes Europe will make 'rational choice' as transatlantic alliance shifts

BEIJING (Reuters) - The European Union should safeguard its interests and make the "rational choice" of turning further towards China given the uncertainty generated by the new administration in the United States, China's state-run Global Times said in an editorial.

The EU's trade chief, Maros Sefcovic, is due to land in China this week after visiting the United States on Tuesday to soothe ties strained this month when both sides threatened retaliatory counter tariffs on goods worth billions of dollars.

On Wednesday, a day after Sefcovic's visit, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would impose new tariffs on imported vehicles in a move that would batter European automakers, particularly German car producers, which count on the United States for almost 25% of their auto exports.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the U.S. decision was "bad for businesses, worse for consumers," and that the EU would continue to seek negotiated solutions while safeguarding its economic interests.

"As the uncertainty of U.S. policy increases, China, as a major global power, is becoming increasingly prominent for its stability and reliability," the Global Times, a nationalist tabloid, wrote in the editorial published late on Wednesday.

Sefcovic is expected to raise concerns on the EU-China trade imbalance, as well as longstanding challenges faced by European companies operating in China, including a lack of reciprocal access to procurement opportunities, market access barriers and issues related to cross-border data transfer, according to European Union Chamber of Commerce in China President Jens Eskelund.

But Sefcovic is also likely to stress "the growing importance of strengthening EU-China relations, particularly in the context of the EU Single Market being a major export destination for Chinese goods," Eskelund said.

Sefcovic is one of several senior European officials to visit China this week, including the foreign ministers of France and Portugal.

Meeting Portugal's top diplomat on Tuesday, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing supported Europe in "maintaining its strategic autonomy" and would work with Portugal to improve China-Europe ties.

China has also been hit with sweeping U.S. sanctions and has announced its own countermeasures.

"Facing a rapidly changing international landscape, Europe should adopt a pragmatic approach and develop its relations with China in a more balanced way, making a rational choice to turn further towards China," the Global Times said.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/china-hopes-europe-will-make-rational-choice-as-transatlantic-alliance-shifts/ar-AA1BKrER?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=e1427cac95eb4bab9fa5336b2e551fd5&ei=40

[Otto Harkaman]

https://youtu.be/3ysXCz2tbks?si=DpolxmdZ_eKgmjUO

[Jimbuna]

Satellite images show fresh Chinese bomber deployment in South China Sea

China deployed two long-range H-6 bombers around the Scarborough Shoal this week, in Beijing's latest move to assert sovereignty over the hotly disputed atoll in the South China Sea, satellite images obtained by Reuters showed.
The deployment, which was not publicised by China, came ahead of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's visit to the Philippines, which also claims the shoal that lies within its exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles.

China's defence ministry did not immediately respond to questions from Reuters on the scale of the deployment or whether it was timed to coincide with Hegseth's trip.
Officials from the Philippines National Security Council and military did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
During a visit to Manila on Friday, Hegseth reaffirmed the United States' "ironclad commitment" to its mutual defence treaty with the Philippines, saying China's actions made deterrence necessary in the South China Sea.

Monday's images taken by Maxar Technologies show two aircraft east of Scarborough Shoal, which China calls "Huangyan Dao".
In recent years, Chinese coast guard vessels have clashed frequently with Philippine fishermen near the mouth of atoll, which China has at times attempted to block since it seized de facto control of the shoal in 2012.
Last month, the Philippines coast guard accused the Chinese navy of performing dangerous flight manoeuvres nearby.
An international arbitration tribunal in the Hague ruled in 2016 that China's claims had no legal basis, but Beijing rejected that decision.
In an email to Reuters, Maxar said the aircraft in the images were H-6 bombers, adding that "rainbow colours" close to them resulted when satellite images of fast-moving objects were processed.

The timing of the flights was unlikely to be accidental, however, regional security analysts said.
Beijing was sending "a signal that China has a sophisticated military," said Peter Layton of Australia's Griffith Asia Institute.
"The bombers' second message could be you (the United States) have the potential for long range strike; so do we, and in larger numbers. Clearly not serendipity," he added.
Regional military attaches say China has gradually stepped up deployments of H-6 bombers into the South China Sea as its military presence has grown, starting with landings on improved runways in the disputed Paracel islands in 2018.
The jet-powered H-6 is based on a Soviet-era design but has been modernised to carry an array of anti-ship and land attack cruise missiles, and some are capable of launching nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles.

Similar to the U.S. B-52, the basic H-6 design dates back to the 1950s but with improved engines, modern strike weapons and on-board flight systems, it is China's key long-range bomber.
The Pentagon's annual report on China's military in December said a more stealthy aircraft was probably in development.
The bombers were deployed in war game drills in October around Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, and in late December at Scarborough, as part of broader air and sea operations by the Chinese military's Southern Theatre Command.
The command, which covers the South China Sea, operates two regiments of the bombers, the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies says.
The December drills were publicised, with the defence ministry saying at the time they were meant to "resolutely safeguard China's national sovereignty and security, and maintain peace in the South China Sea".
The ministry posted images of aircraft above the shoal but satellite images capturing patrols in operation are rare.
The altitude at which the H-6s were flying near the shoal is not known.
Taiwan's government rejects China's sovereignty claim, saying only the island's people can decide their future.
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/satellite-images-show-fresh-chinese-bomber-deployment-south-china-sea-2025-03-28/

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HJKC4srOVA

[Otto Harkaman]

https://youtu.be/yRzpanrzrK4?si=Ine_NUzBKs21QrXZ

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG8bvw7ZvAE

[Jimbuna]

China files complaint with WTO over new US tariffs

GENEVA, April 4 (Reuters) - China said it had opened a formal complaint against the new U.S. tariffs with the World Trade Organization on Friday, saying the measures violate WTO rules and requesting consultations.
Earlier, China announced retaliatory additional tariffs of 34% on U.S. goods, the most serious escalation in a trade war with President Donald Trump that has fed fears of a recession and touched off a global stock market rout.
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-files-complaint-with-wto-over-new-us-tariffs-2025-04-04/

[mapuc]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKDX6P6TRl4&ab_channel=TheMilitaryShow

Markus

[Jimbuna]

Taiwan’s military simulates worst-case scenario: PLA drill turns into attack

Taiwan’s military has kicked off an unprecedented 14-day tabletop exercise simulating its worst-case scenario: the People’s Liberation Army turning a drill into a full-scale assault on the island.
The computer-assisted war game started on the weekend and will run until April 18. It comes amid fears that one of Beijing’s increasingly frequent and large-scale military operations around Taiwan could escalate into a real attack that would be too sudden for the island’s forces to counter.
US military personnel are expected to arrive in Taiwan this week to observe the exercise, according to Taiwanese media reports. The drill is part of Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang series of military exercises that put the island’s defence capabilities to the test.

This year’s tabletop exercise is the longest ever – it will be six days longer than in 2024. It began with the main command setting up a joint operations centre to simulate a swift transition from peacetime to wartime.

“The scenarios are based on possible PLA actions, including a transition from drills to an actual assault on Taiwan,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

It will also test Taiwan’s ability to respond to so-called grey-zone threats – coercive tactics that stop short of open conflict, including cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and harassment by militia fishing fleets and drones.

“The drill is conducted using the Joint Theatre Level Simulation (JTLS) platform,” the ministry said. “The simulation runs 24/7 to test the military’s capacity to coordinate and respond under pressure.”

American military observers are expected to attend the exercise, Taipei-based United Daily News reported, citing unnamed sources. It did not say who would attend.

In February, Taiwanese media reports said Major General Jay Bargeron, director of strategic planning and policy at the US Indo-Pacific Command, had taken part in an earlier phase of the Han Kuang tabletop drills – drawing criticism from Beijing.
Beijing views Taiwan as part of China to be reunited, by force if necessary. Since William Lai Ching-te of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party took office as the island’s leader in May, tensions across the Taiwan Strait have worsened, with Beijing – which sees Lai as a “separatist” – stepping up military and political pressure on the island.
While most countries, including the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, Washington opposes unilateral changes to the cross-strait status quo by force and is committed to supplying arms for the island’s defence.

Major General Tung Chi-hsing, who heads the defence ministry’s joint operations planning division, said Taiwan’s armed forces had in recent years integrated new asymmetric warfare assets into their plans. These include drones, US-made M1A2T tanks, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), TOW 2B anti-tank missiles, and shore-based Harpoon missile batteries.

“The capabilities of these systems have been factored into the simulation parameters for validation,” Tung told reporters last week. “Their operational value will be further tested during the live-fire phase of the Han Kuang exercise in July.”

The live-fire phase of Han Kuang – which has also been extended – is scheduled for July 9 to 18 and will simulate round-the-clock joint operations across Taiwan’s main and offshore territories, airspace and maritime zones. Scenarios will be designed from a real-combat perspective by commanders at all levels and integrated with “urban resilience” civil defence drills, according to the ministry.

Focus areas of this year’s live-fire drills include: grey-zone warfare response, rapid readiness and reaction, military action authorisation mechanisms, operational security and risk assessments, civil-military coordination and integration, logistics and the combat effectiveness of newly introduced systems.

Analysts have long warned of Beijing’s “salami slicing” strategy, referring to incremental encroachment by the PLA that deliberately blurs the line between military exercise and aggression. The PLA has been gradually expanding its operational footprint around Taiwan with its regular drills, eroding long-standing conventions including by crossing the median line – the unofficial boundary that splits the 180km (110-mile) waterway that separates the self-ruled island from mainland China.

Some experts have said that a sudden strike from across the strait would leave Taiwan with little time to react, given that it would take just minutes for PLA jets to reach Taipei once they crossed the median line.

That is why the island’s military has expanded the Han Kuang exercises, according to Chou Yu-ping, a former planning director of Taiwan’s missile command.

“All branches of the military need to coordinate and rehearse extensively, making it necessary to expand the scope and number of scenarios in this year’s exercises,” Chou said.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3305546/taiwans-military-simulates-worst-case-scenario-pla-drill-turns-attack?module=top_story&pgtype=section

[Jimbuna]

China announces 84% tariffs on all US goods in response to Trump’s 104%

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/apr/09/donald-trump-unleashes-new-wave-of-tariffs-against-dozens-of-countries-china

[Jimbuna]

EU votes for retaliatory tariffs on US goods while China imposes fresh 84% levy

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/tariffs-trump-china-ftse-uk-eu-stock-markets-latest-news-b2729924.html

[Catfish]

^ " ... they will all kiss my a..." says Trump
https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-tariffs-leaders-are-kissing-my-ass-to-make-trade-deals/
This.. remains to be seen.

[Dargo]

China's leaders understand the economic cost of standing their ground. They are preparing the public to endure the pain. The US levies will cause a shock, but the sky will not fall down. According to the Chinese party newspaper, the measures will create ‘downward pressure on the economy’ but ‘we have great resilience’. XI proclaimed himself Mao in the last decade, he orated his ism before the Chinese people, his power is consolidated if shyte hits the fan he locks down China like he did during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[Platapus]

I wonder who relies on who more


China needing the US market
The US needing the Chinese market


Who can survive the longest

[Otto Harkaman]

https://youtu.be/To97gkoOrr8?si=3_VwtM3Azl2x6olI

[Jimbuna]

Wall Street plunges after China hit with 145pc tariff

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/04/10/trump-tariffs-climbdown-stocks-surge-markets-latest/

[Otto Harkaman]

https://youtu.be/qzxge9BRHZs?si=j5DSNnStJo5l0urd

https://youtu.be/gCWFS-oJqtU?si=rNFPfmc6j60lKPpY

[Jimbuna]

China raises duties on US goods to 125%, calls Trump tariff hikes a 'joke'

BEIJING, April 11 (Reuters) - China hiked its levies on imports of U.S. goods to 125% on Friday, hitting back at Donald Trump's decision to single out the world's No.2 economy for higher duties, while dismissing the U.S. president's tariff strategy as "a joke."
Investors had been waiting to see how Beijing would respond to Trump's move on Wednesday to effectively raise tariffs on Chinese goods to 145% while announcing a 90-day pause on duties on dozens of other countries' goods. The yuan slipped to levels last seen during the global financial crisis on Thursday but rebounded slightly on Friday.

"The U.S. side's imposition of excessively high tariffs on China seriously violates international economic and trade rules, runs counter to basic economic principles and common sense, and is simply an act of unilateral bullying and coercion," China's Finance Ministry said in a statement.
The tit-for-tat increases stand to make goods trade between the world's two largest economies impossible, analysts say, with import duties above around 35% wiping out Chinese exporters' profit margins and making American offerings in China similarly overly expensive.
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-increase-tariffs-us-goods-125-up-84-finance-ministry-says-2025-04-11/

[Skybird]

I wonder who relies on who more

China needing the US market
The US needing the Chinese market

Who can survive the longest
Exports to the US accounted for less than 15% of all Chinese exports last year and accounted for less than 2% of China's total economic gains.Playing aroud with Trump can hurt them a bit. It cannot seriously threaten them. Xi has focussed in recent years on becoming less independent from exports in generall and focussing on the home market economy instead, also allocating more exports to non-US trade partners. The problems there are much more threatening for China than a total stop of trad with the US.

On the other hand, China holds US state bonds worth ~770 billion (the data varies according to the source you aks), though it reduced these by almost 40% in the past years (Russia for example has practically deleted these from its portfolio completely). China also has bought gold like crazy in recent years, so did Russia, India, Iran. The BRICS states mull the separating from the dollar, and doing their own currency, based on gold, most likely. A direct threat to the dollar's status as the global main currency and financier of the US debt pyramide. When that bomb gets launched, say sayonara to the world you knew so far.

China could flood the market with these us debt bonds in one rush - a nuclear option. It would lose the interest payments for these bonds then, but that is a small price for the damage it would do to the US fiscal system and the global trade system.



They could also paralyse the american defense production and hitech production by stopping the selling of rare earths to the US of which the US depends on (the US has many ressrouces in theory, but by far not all of these are easily accessible and can be mined within just a few years).

So, China clearly has the upper hand. It won't give in because it doesn't have to. Trump has overreached himself. If he doe snot engage the brakes, China will trump the US brutally. Pardon the word game.


The Chinese can escalate things even further by attacking Taiwan. All advantages in that conflict are theirs.

[Dargo]

China is already started last week to sell their US bonds that what you see in the market.

[Jimbuna]

That seat will cost how much? US businesses already seeing impact of Trump tariffs

https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/that-seat-will-cost-how-much-us-businesses-already-seeing-impact-trump-tariffs-2025-04-12/

[Skybird]

China is already started last week to sell their US bonds that what you see in the market.


They started to slowly but constantly selling them years ago already. Reduction of their holdings of US bonds over the past years was around 40% or so, I seem to recall.

They will want to consider the risk that the US bans the trade with these Chinese held bonds, in a comparable fashion like the West tried to freeze Russian financial transactions and froze Russian assets outside Russia. Thats why I think that if Bejing plays suddenly bitterly serious they will rush in assault style and flood the market with their bonds in one quick and all-in move so that the US has no time to react. There is no American defense to this move, like there is none to the Taiwanese escalation. Trump plays not so much with open fire - but with a burning fuse, and neither he nor anyone else has a clue how short or long this fuse is. Only Bejing decides the length of it.


Its not a calculated risk Trump tpook. Its Russian roulette. The outcome is not determined by strategy, but luck and the good will of Bejing. The American hand of cards is by far not as strong as Trump wants to tell the world. And it seems Bejing is determined to call his bluff.

[Dargo]

:agree: And we in the West are pussies, we do not have the stamina of suffering like the Chinese have for centuries. Oh, horror, we can not use our Phonnneeee:o

[Dargo]

China signs agreement with Spain to supply pork and cherriesSpain has signed two trade agreements with China to supply pork and cherries. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced this today during a visit to Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. In doing so, Spain is jumping into a gap caused by the US-China trade dispute.

'Spain favours more balanced relations between the EU and China,' Sánchez said after the meeting. Xi Jinping also stressed the importance of good trade relations with Spain as an EU member state. Among other things, the leader said that China and the EU should stand up together against “unilateral bullying”, referring to the high import tariffs US President Donald Trump has introduced against China. Xi said China ‘supports EU unity and growth’.

Sánchez's visit to Xi comes after China announced 125 per cent import tariffs on US products earlier today. Those tariffs are due to take effect from Saturday. The US-China trade dispute has led China to try to improve its trade relations with the EU, among others.

The Spanish National Association of Spanish Meat Industries welcomed the pork supply agreement. 'We welcome this Chinese gesture, which opens up new opportunities for Spanish pig farmers to export their products'. Much of the pork eaten in China, such as pork ears, comes from Spain and the Netherlands, among others. In 2024, China imported more than $4 billion worth of pork, half of which came from the EU, Reuters news agency reported.

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaLWxe5CUBw

[Skybird]

China's stunning campaign to turn the world against Taiwan.


https://www.economist.com/international/2025/02/09/chinas-stunning-new-campaign-to-turn-the-world-against-taiwan


----------------------


[FOCUS] (https://www.focus.de/finanzen/bei-jack-wolfskin-offenbart-sich-chinas-wahre-strategie-im-zoll-duell-mit-trump_53d58ae7-6fda-4370-93be-4d3d586e64c6.html)While Trump escalates, Xi is cleverly decoupling China from the US – through investments, tariff evasion, and global influence. A move we're also seeing in Germany – for example, with the outdoor brand Jack Wolfskin.

As the trade war between the US and the People's Republic of China escalates, the leadership in Beijing is asking itself how to escape the spiral of punitive tariffs and prevent a complete end to relations with America.

All eyes are on President Xi Jinping, who, in the thirteen years he has led China, has concentrated all power in his own hands. He has largely paralyzed the already strictly hierarchical Chinese administrative principle, which stems from Confucianism. All levels below him now wait for directives from the next higher department before taking action.

Everything takes forever, and predictions are difficult in such an environment. Especially since in Beijing, just as in Washington, it's mostly yes-men who serve in the immediate vicinity of the leader. They lack the standing and the will to constructively object and de-escalate.
Beijing has reduced its economic relations with the US.

But what is Xi's strategy? In recent years, Beijing has begun to reduce its economic relations with the US and export fewer goods to America. During the same period that it has curbed exports to the US, China has increased the flow of goods to ASEAN countries.

Furthermore, despite its support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, Beijing is trying not to violate sanctions so blatantly that the People's Republic is ultimately punished. This would have a massive and severe impact on the Chinese economy.

Beyond these points, Xi has cautiously and largely unnoticed pursued his decoupling strategy from the US. As a result, Chinese companies have made significant purchases and expanded abroad.

In the national economy's financial system, Chinese companies have sufficient liquidity to go on shopping sprees. This financial cycle looks like this: Banks that are partially or wholly owned by the state lend money to companies that are partially owned by the state or dependent on the state for their production. Acquisitions are taking place everywhere: in Germany (most recently, the Jack Wolfskin brand), Europe, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.

Unlike Xi's New Silk Road Initiative, which aims to make countries politically compliant with loans for infrastructure projects, the approach of massive acquisitions actually seems to be more of a strategic economic move.

Further embedding China in global supply chains, with activities in as many countries as possible, will help avoid tariffs, not just on imports into the US.

In Beijing, there are fears that after 90 days, Donald Trump will approach the countries to whom he has granted a tariff reprieve and say: "Stop trading with China, then you won't have to pay penalties on your imports into the US."

Companies that are partly Chinese-owned but produce outside of China could then be a lifeline for Beijing. These are all points that Xi is considering in order to keep his country economically and politically afloat should relations with Washington completely break down.

Donald Trump, however, seems not to be fully aware of Beijing's immense importance in international relations. When he talks about "Make America Great Again," he is apparently dreaming of a world of the last century in which the People's Republic had no geopolitical clout.

Xi is working strategically in the background to prepare for a potential conflict. Relatively unnoticed by the world, Beijing has been active on Taiwan issues. According to "The Economist" magazine, 70 countries have adopted Beijing's wording in official communiqués and statements over the past 18 months.

According to this, the People's Republic has the right to use "all means" aimed at the "reunification" of Taiwan with the People's Republic. This explicitly includes military means. If Xi attacks Taiwan, these 70 countries will support him in the United Nations General Assembly. This would allow him to avoid economic sanctions for invading the island.

Donald Trump, meanwhile, had nothing better to do than to impose punitive tariffs on this important ally of Washington and then dupe it by falsely claiming that the Taiwanese had stolen their semiconductor technology know-how from America.

Taipei hopes to appease the US president with concessions. But the small, democratically governed island has a despot on its doorstep in Xi.Dealing with another country that should actually be an ally is likely to be difficult.

If Taiwan can no longer rely on US protection, it will, for better or for worse, turn to Beijing. If China negotiates wisely, a deal between the two former civil warring parties could spell the end of America's dominance in the Western Pacific.

Xi Jinping has this on his radar, too. He wants to show Taiwan that he can defeat and conquer it militarily. But he would definitely prefer a non-violent solution.

You can dismiss these aspects of Xi's strategy or not, but unlike the American president, the Chinese president has more than "the concept of a plan." China has not yet imposed anything as devastating on the world as Trump's tariff policy.

And that may – despite all the skepticism that remains due to Beijing's human rights violations – encourage one or two countries to consider China as a new partner that will have to prove that it is more reliable than the US. Then Xi's strategy would work.


----------------

[Jimbuna]

"For my next trick/threat"

Trump threatens new tariffs on smartphones days after exempting them

Donald Trump says Chinese-made smartphones and other electronics will not be exempt from tariffs - adding they are simply moving into a different levy "bucket".

European stock markets bounced up on Monday morning after Friday's official announcement that some of these products would escape levies of up to 145%.

China has called on Donald Trump to "completely cancel" his tariffs regime, and "return to the right path of mutual respect".

However US officials said on Sunday that products would be subject to a "semiconductor tariff" instead, with Trump expected to reveal more details later.

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the new levy would be in addition to a host of global tariffs the US imposed earlier this month, then paused for 90 days.

"We need our medicines and we need semiconductors and our electronics to be built in America," he added.

On Saturday, a US customs notice revealed smartphones, computers and some other electronic devices would be excluded from the 125% tariff on goods entering the country from China.

But Trump chimed in on social media, saying there was no exemption for these products and called such reports about this notice false. Instead, he said that "they are just moving to a different Tariff 'bucket'".

Trump added: "We are taking a look at Semiconductors and the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN in the upcoming National Security Tariff Investigations."

He said he would provide an update on Monday about semiconductor duties.

Everyday devices such as smartphones and laptops rely on semiconductors, which are small and powerful pieces of tech that form the basic building blocks of modern computation.

On Monday, Sony announced that it was increasing the price of its flagship games console, the PlayStation 5, by about 10% in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, citing a "challenging economic environment", inflation and fluctuating exchange rates. It did not announce price rises in the United States.

The Chinese commerce ministry had called Trump's exemptions a "small step" by the US, and said that Beijing was "evaluating the impact" of the move.

But the suggestion by Trump administration officials of plans for future levies may dampen hopes of a thaw in the two rivals' protectionist posture.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer was asked on Sunday whether there were any plans for Trump to speak with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

"Right now we don't have any plans on that," he said during an appearance on CBS's Face the Nation.

Trump imposed a tariff amounting to 54% on imports of products from China at the beginning of April, before escalating to the current 145% rate.

In its own tit-for-tat tariffs, China imposed levies of 34% on US goods, before increasing it to 84% and then 125%, which took effect on Saturday.

In announcing its latest tariffs, China's commerce ministry said last week that it would "fight to the end" if the US "insists on provoking a tariff war or trade war".

Late on Saturday, while travelling to Miami, Florida, Trump said he would give more details of the exemptions at the start of next week.

The White House has argued that it is using tariffs as a negotiating tactic to extract more favourable trade terms from other countries.

Trump has said his policy will redress unfairness in the global trading system, as well as bring jobs and factories back to the US.

However, his interventions have seen massive fluctuations in the stock market and raised fears of a decrease in global trade that could have a knock-on effect on jobs and individual economies.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62z54gwd22o

[Otto Harkaman]

skullduggery :lurk:
https://youtu.be/92EncTMkLzw?si=QakwMWHozQ8nWLUL

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPORRuKWpj0

[Jimbuna]

Ukraine bans China's firms for helping Russia make missiles

April 18 (Reuters) - Ukraine imposed sanctions on three Chinese companies on Friday claiming they were involved in production of advanced Iskander missiles, a day after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy alleged that China had been supplying weapons to Russia.
China's foreign ministry earlier on Friday dismissed Zelenskiy's accusation as groundless. While maintaining close economic ties with Russia during Moscow's three-year war in Ukraine, China has sought to project an image of neutrality and denies any involvement in the war.
Zelenskiy's administration on Friday published an updated list of sanctioned entities. The list, which also includes Russian companies, named Beijing Aviation And Aerospace Xianghui Technology Co. Ltd, Rui Jin Machinery Co. Ltd, and Zhongfu Shenying Carbon Fiber Xining Co. Ltd, all described as registered in China.
Zelenskiy said that the Chinese companies hit with sanctions were involved in the production of Russian Iskander missiles. Russia widely uses the nuclear-capable short-range ballistic missile system in the conflict.
On Friday, Ukraine said Iskander missiles had struck Kharkiv, a city in northern Ukraine, killing one and injuring more than 100 people.
"Today, we have expanded our Ukrainian sanctions against nearly a hundred more entities - natural and legal persons - most of whom are involved in the production of such missiles -Iskanders - like those that struck our Kharkiv," Zelenskiy said in a statement on X.
"Many of these entities are Russian, but unfortunately, some are also from China," he said.
Sanctions ban companies from doing business in Ukraine and freeze their assets there.
Ukraine exported $8 billion of goods to China in 2021, mostly raw materials and agricultural products, while it imported from China just under $11 billion, mainly in manufactured goods, according to the Ukrainian government.
On Thursday, Zelenskiy told reporters in Kyiv his government had evidence that Chinese firms were supplying what he described as artillery and gunpowder to Russia, and that Chinese entities are making some weapons on Russian soil.
A week earlier, Zelenskiy had said Chinese nationals were fighting on Russia's side in the war with Ukraine, including two who had been taken prisoner. A Chinese diplomat was summoned to the Ukrainian foreign ministry to provide an explanation.
Ukrainian and U.S. officials later said the men had signed up on their own initiative for money.
https://www.reuters.com/world/ukraine-hits-chinese-firms-with-sanctions-after-accusing-beijing-arming-russia-2025-04-18/

[Skybird]

^ Ukraine cannot build its home-build drones without essential parts delivered by China.

Drones are of existential importance for Ukraine.

Without them, Russian force superiority would decide the war in forseeable time. Without drones, Ukraine cannot hope to keep the Russian onslaught in check. Its their wall of drones keeping the Russians in check - just so. Not their artillery. Not their air defenses. Not their conventional ground forces - its their drones.

Just saying.


Now lets contemplate a bit about pissing China one bit too much.

[Dargo]

Then Ukraine will buy essential parts via the EU and yes they need them, but China can not afford to not sell those essential parts because of their still bad economy at the moment. China needs other trade partners as it is in a total trade war with the US and Europe is the biggest market. Russia is a midget market for China, Texas or Spain has a bigger market than Russia ever will have.

[Skybird]

^ That is probably Zelenskyi's calculation. And I think he is very precisely wrong.


You don't attack, verbally or in other ways, China this openly without having to pay the price for that. They stayed put in the past. They dont stay put anymore these days.



Its stupid by the Ukrainians to step the tiger on its tail. For them too much is at risk.


Ukraine is anything but autark.

[Dargo]

Ukraine is a part of Europe, not alone their actions are backed by Europe, do not think China will risk Europe going more anti China its economy is for their standards doing very bad. And a very bad economy scares the CCP, if we had their figures of growth we would think we in heaven :D.

[Skybird]

"Face".



Trumps everything in Asia, namely China.


And a big power that just has stopped exporting rare earths and certain rare magnetic minerals not just to the US, but worldwide, will not be afraid to stop delivering a handful of cheap but contruction-deciding drone components. If these could be so easily replaced by Europe, then why has Ukraine not reacted to the Chinese involvement in the war much earlier...


"Made in China" rules. Like it or not, but thats how it is.

[Dargo]

I am not saying we can replace China but we Europe determine the standards that China can sell here and if China does not want to sell to Ukraine we will act like a proxy buyer. But I do not see that happen, this will be resolved in diplomatic channels. Beijing is aiming for economic growth of around 5% this year. Analysts call that target ambitious, given the ongoing property crisis, weak domestic demand and Trump's sweeping levies on Chinese goods. Many European countries would sign up for such a growth rate, but it is disappointing for China. In the past, China achieved annual growth rates as high as 10%. China faces persistent problems on a variety of fronts, such as high youth unemployment, while there is also an ageing population. US and European trade restrictions. And the huge property crisis.

[Jimbuna]

China shipbuilders rip Trump's 'short-sighted' US port fees

BEIJING, April 19 (Reuters) - China's shipbuilders on Saturday blasted as "short-sighted" U.S. port fees announced by President Donald Trump's administration on China-linked ships, a measure aimed at the nation's shipbuilding industry.
Trump signed an order on Wednesday aimed at reviving U.S. shipbuilding and reducing China's grip on the global shipping industry. His government the next day watered the measures down by shielding domestic exporters and vessel owners serving the Great Lakes, the Caribbean and U.S. territories.
The spat over ocean shipping, which conveys 80% of global trade, is the latest conflict in an intensifying trade war between China and the U.S. that has pushed levies on each other's imports beyond 100%.
The China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry expressed "extreme indignation and resolute opposition" to the U.S measures, joining protests from the government and country's shipowners.
"The decline of the U.S. shipbuilding industry is the result of its protectionism and has nothing to do with China," the shipbuilders said in a statement.
It warned the U.S. restrictions would disrupt the global maritime system, lead to soaring shipping costs, further push up U.S. inflation and harm the interest of the U.S. people.
"We call on the international maritime industry to jointly resist this short-sighted U.S. behaviour, and jointly maintain a fair market environment," the industry body said, adding it expects Chinese authorities to take strong countermeasures.
The government protested against the "discriminatory" steps on Friday, urging Washington to "correct wrongdoings."
The Ministry of Commerce vowed in a statement to "resolutely take necessary measures to safeguard our own interests", saying the fees "fully reveal the essence of its unilateralist and protectionist policies, and are typical, non-market practices".
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-shipbuilders-rip-trumps-short-sighted-us-port-fees-2025-04-19/

[Skybird]

I am not saying we can replace China but we Europe determine the standards that China can sell here and if China does not want to sell to Ukraine we will act like a proxy buyer. But I do not see that happen, this will be resolved in diplomatic channels. Beijing is aiming for economic growth of around 5% this year. Analysts call that target ambitious, given the ongoing property crisis, weak domestic demand and Trump's sweeping levies on Chinese goods. Many European countries would sign up for such a growth rate, but it is disappointing for China. In the past, China achieved annual growth rates as high as 10%. China faces persistent problems on a variety of fronts, such as high youth unemployment, while there is also an ageing population. US and European trade restrictions. And the huge property crisis.
China just wants money, and money can be had from everybody, if not from us, they sell other stuff elsewhete. But we want special stuff that we cannot or cannot make ourselves any longer, may it be lack of ability or lack of ressources.

[Dargo]

Do not forget the slave labour we do not have, I do not see anybody in the West working more than 40 hours for a couple buck per hour and have to sleep at the workplace. Xi's message does not lie, Choose to cooperate with China, and you will get infrastructure, technology and markets in return. No sanctions, no whimsical tweets. Trump's import tariffs are a golden opportunity for China to emerge as a stable trading partner. Xi Jinping's economic approach is characterised by caution; in a way, China's own policy is risk-averse.

Xi's elevation to a Mao is very concretely written out. It is linked to two long-term goals, the two centenary goals:
The first centenary goal had to be achieved by the Communist Party's 100-year anniversary, which was in 2021. By then, China had to become a moderately prosperous society with material prosperity.
The second centenary target was based on the 100th anniversary of the People's Republic of China, in 2049. By then, China has set the goal of being a fully developed nation: prosperous, powerful, democratic, culturally developed, harmonious, socialist and modernised.
Within that context, China often talks about three global initiatives. These are part of a broader attempt to offer an alternative to the western liberal model. The Global Security Initiative is about contributing to a secure and peaceful world order. This is something China never actually did. Above all, they did not want to get involved in international conflicts. Now they are more open to international cooperation, while continuing to stress that the principles of national sovereignty and non-intervention are very important. So that decision-making and other countries should not intervene just like that.

In this sense, Xi's power is compared to that of Mao Zedong, who was party leader and head of state in China from 1949 until his death in 1976. Although there are significant differences. Whereas Mao ruled through political campaigns full of violence and social disruption, Xi opts for authoritarian stability. He wants order, discipline and technocratic control, not permanent revolution. Xi's ideology, known as ‘Xi Jinping Thought’, emphasises the central role of the Communist Party, national unity and the pursuit of the ‘Chinese dream’ of national revival by 2049, the 100th anniversary of the People's Republic of China.

The EU and China are major trading partners, with bilateral trade exceeding €850 billion by 2024. Beijing has been trying to tie Europe more explicitly to itself for several years through investments in infrastructure, energy networks and technology companies. The Chinese strategy is twofold. The country presents itself as a stabilising factor, in contrast to erratic America. But it is also trying to get a grip on European decision-making through diplomatic charm offensives such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a project to promote economic growth through more connecting roads along the ancient Silk Road and the Maritime Silk Road, the sea route. In 2020, Brussels and Beijing reached a preliminary investment agreement (CAI), but ratification was stranded due to European human rights concerns.

Regardless of whether it is the US or EU, China does not want trade barriers because it is confident of its competitive advantage. So in the case of the US, it is very simple, first the tariffs have to end, then there can be talks. With China perhaps making small concessions to US imports to save Trump some face. As for Europe, China dreams of an ‘autonomous’ EU, i.e. not listening to the US, and of a treaty on regulatory reciprocity: a relaxation of foreign investment rules in China, in exchange for eventual more equal treatment and full access for Chinese investors in the EU. In an ideal Chinese world, barriers in the European market would be dismantled. Especially in the field of technology and green industry, where Chinese companies like BYD (electric cars), Huawei (5G) and CATL (batteries) want to capture a bigger market share.

China's economy is multi-layered and complex, with many high-tech exports playing an increasingly important role. Green economy and green energy are also coming more to the forefront of Chinese trade policy. China has diversified exports from the US and built its own technological ecosystem, largely independent of the US, making it independent of America in other technological areas as well. In chip technology and the like, China has made a lot of progress despite US export restrictions. In this, China is much stronger now than it was in 2018, when Trump began his first round of trade tariffs.

Either way, US tariffs will hurt China. Although Xi is seeking trade partners, he remains reserved. In China, foreign policy is actually an afterthought it is mostly measured against what the domestic policy implications are. We overestimate that foreign policy is not a major priority in China, the focus is first and foremost on domestic policy. That is heavily focused on controlling its own citizens and information, and that will not change in the coming years. Xi will not be negotiating with the US any time soon. The relationship between the two countries is so complex that the same problems will resurface sooner or later. For China, the trade war has been going on for years. Whether it is the Democrats or the Republicans, the US sees China as a threat because it is a successful emerging power.

[Dargo]

What Trump is doing with his ‘the art of the deal’ is dictating (saying something in advance to be written down or imposing something without negotiation). That is not negotiation, negotiation happens within the law and social agreements, it is never a dictate like a dictator acts. Trump is more of a Mao 2.0 than XI will ever be Trump is doing the same thing Mao did with consequence in millions damage to the people whether that is his or any other people, he does not care this leaves him totally cold, he is here only for himself Trump is the highest ‘me’, ‘me’, ‘me’, ‘me’.

[Jimbuna]

Boeing jet returns to US from China, a victim of Trump's tariff war

SEATTLE, April 19 (Reuters) - A Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab jet intended for use by a Chinese airline landed back at the planemaker's U.S. production hub on Sunday, a victim of the tit-for-tat bilateral tariffs launched by President Donald Trump in his global trade offensive.
The 737 MAX, which was meant for China's Xiamen Airlines, landed at Seattle's Boeing Field at 6:11 p.m. (0111 GMT), according to a Reuters witness. It was painted with Xiamen livery.
The jet, which made refueling stops in Guam and Hawaii on its 5,000-mile (8,000-km) return journey, was one of several 737 MAX jets waiting at Boeing's Zhoushan completion center for final work and delivery to a Chinese carrier.
Trump this month raised baseline tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%. In retaliation, China has imposed a 125% tariff on U.S. goods. A Chinese airline taking delivery of a Boeing jet could be crippled by the tariffs, given that a new 737 MAX has a market value of around $55 million, according to IBA, an aviation consultancy.
It is not clear which party made the decision for the aircraft to return to the U.S. Boeing did not immediately respond to request for comment. Xiamen did not respond to request for comment.
The return of the 737 MAX, Boeing's best-selling model, is the latest sign of disruption to new aircraft deliveries from a breakdown in the aerospace industry's decades-old duty-free status.
The tariff war and apparent U-turn over deliveries comes as Boeing has been recovering from an almost five-year import freeze on 737 MAX jets and a previous round of trade tensions.
Confusion over changing tariffs could leave many aircraft deliveries in limbo, with some airline CEOs saying they would defer delivery of planes rather than pay duties, analysts say.
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/boeing-jet-returns-us-china-victim-trumps-tariff-war-2025-04-20/

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8x9-20uJr8

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJeueicbCqc

[Jimbuna]

China urges UK and EU to uphold multilateral trade in face of US tariffs

BEIJING, April 22 (Reuters) - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Britain and the European Union on Tuesday to safeguard multilateral trading systems, as Beijing seeks to rally support from trading partners to counter U.S. tariff measures.
China and the United States have remained locked in a deepening trade war, with tit-for-tat tariff hikes that have significantly disrupted bilateral commerce.
"The United States has weaponised tariffs to launch indiscriminate attacks on countries, openly violating WTO rules and undermining the legitimate rights and interests of others," China's foreign ministry cited Wang as saying in a phone call with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
https://www.reuters.com/world/china-calls-uk-uphold-international-order-face-rampant-unilateral-bullying-2025-04-22/

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEjlV2abiJE&t=415s

[Jimbuna]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzQk4R5yRx8

[Dargo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmsTiawD1Fs